DRINKING WATER
AMERICAN And Partners Install Boltless Restrained Underwater Pipeline System In Ashland, Wisconsin
Beneath the waters of Chequamegon Bay on Lake Superior in Ashland, Wisconsin, about 4,500 feet of 24-inch AMERICAN Flex-Ring Ductile Iron Pipe and a submerged timber crib intake structure were installed to ensure the city’s residents have quality drinking water for the next 100 years. The Ashland Water Intake Project began May 1, 2025, and is now complete.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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What To Know About Water Quality Analysis For Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis (RO) has become a widely utilized treatment process for diverse applications such as medical and laboratory research, desalination, and treatment of industrial wastewater and municipal water/wastewater. Because of its widespread use and technically advanced nature, a variety of quality parameters should be monitored by those treatment operators who utilize it.
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![Project_Brief-Miamisburg]( "The Insta-Valve 250 Minimizes Disruption During An Emergency")
The Insta-Valve 250 Minimizes Disruption During An EmergencyLike so many municipalities, the City of Miamisburg has an aging infrastructure of valves that had not been excercised in decades. Read the full project brief to learn how Hydra-Stop’s solution allowed greater control that minimized shutdown when a water main ruptured.
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![Distillery_iStock-635929140]( "Distillery Wastewater Byproducts Fuel Sustainability")
Distillery Wastewater Byproducts Fuel SustainabilityFor distilleries, high levels of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrogen, total dissolved solids (TDS), and total suspended solids (TSS) put extra pressure on optimal biological treatment requirements. Here are some techniques that can help distillers put a little extra money in the bank while meeting the challenges of environmental discharge requirements.
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![iStock-481364757]( "Geospatial Artificial Intelligence And The New Italian Renaissance")
Geospatial Artificial Intelligence And The New Italian RenaissanceUnder pressure to radically improve leak detection and prevention, Italian water utility Acquedotto del Fiora is the latest European water company to adopt geospatial artificial intelligence (AI) techniques as part of its plans to boost performance.
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Who Turned Up The Heat? What You Need To Know About Biofilms And Heat Transfer
Whether you work at an oil refinery, power plant, or in an office building, chances are you owe your comfort to a cooling tower.
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![0721_20_Xylem_sm]( "Hydroinformatics 101: Intro To Water Optimization And Efficiency")
Hydroinformatics 101: Intro To Water Optimization And EfficiencyHydroinformatics offers a fresh perspective that is enabling communities around the world to tackle age-old problems in new ways and with a bigger toolset.
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![Ozone Resolves Hydrogen Sulfide & Color Issues in Well Water_PIX]( "Ozone Resolves Hydrogen Sulfide And Color Issues In Well Water")
Ozone Resolves Hydrogen Sulfide And Color Issues In Well WaterA potable water plant in Eastern Angelina County, Texas, serves over 2,000 rural customers.
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![Stainless Steel Mechanical Joint Repair Sleeve For Saltwater Application]( "Stainless Steel Mechanical Joint Repair Sleeve For Saltwater Application")
Stainless Steel Mechanical Joint Repair Sleeve For Saltwater ApplicationA 24” HDPE pipeline providing water to Sullivan’s Island was installed and submerged under the channel. After installation and put into service, a fused joint failed. A temporary repair, using available products located at local warehouse, to keep customers in service was completed. The local public utility needed a permanent, pressure repair solution to be installed, by dive technicians underwater, without disruption to service to island. Read the full case study to learn more.
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![Gulf Of Mexico’s Hypoxic Zone Larger Than Ever]( "Gulf Of Mexico's Hypoxic Zone Larger Than Ever")
Gulf Of Mexico's Hypoxic Zone Larger Than EverLast year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recorded the largest hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico since monitoring began 32 years ago. Hypoxic waters, often referred to as dead zones, have dissolved oxygen concentrations of less than 2-3 ppm. They are caused by eutrophication or excess nutrients that promote algal growth in water bodies. As algae decompose, they consume oxygen creating dead zones.
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![recycled metal]( "The Sustainable Choice For America's Water Infrastructure: Ductile Iron Pipe Made From Recycled Metal")
The Sustainable Choice For America's Water Infrastructure: Ductile Iron Pipe Made From Recycled MetalDiscover why U.S.-made ductile iron pipe leads sustainable infrastructure—crafted from recycled metal, fully recyclable, and engineered for long-lasting, circular water systems nationwide.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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Free Chlorine Measurement In Drinking Water Treatment12/21/2005
Before water can be used as a safe and reliable source for drinking water, it must be properly treated. Since water is a universal solvent, it comes in contact with several different pathogens, some of which are potentially lethal, and inactivation is accomplished through chemical disinfection and mechanical filtration treatment. This treatment consists of coarse filtration to remove large objects and pre-treatment which includes disinfection using chlorine or ozone
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How Activated Carbon Works To Purify Air And Water10/31/2019
The first step is to define the performance limiting factors in the application. For this application, most of the adsorber is used for MTBE adsorption in the ppb concentration range. Adsorption of BTEX, TBA, or humic acids or other total organic carbon (TOC) components are removed by the front end of the column.
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Automatic Rinse Tank Controls10/29/2021
Proper rinsing is one of the most important steps in quality manufacturing or metal finishing. Plenty of low cost, good quality water for rinsing has been available in the past, so rinse water conservation has been largely ignored.
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How To Read An Encoder9/13/2013
The HR-E LCD encoder has a 9-digit Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) to show consumption, flow and alarm information. The display automatically toggles between 9-digit and 6-digit consumption, rate of flow and meter model.
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Water Determination In Liquefied Petroleum Gas Using GC BID And Ionic Liquid Column Watercol™6/28/2018
Water in petrochemical feedstocks can cause problems for processors. Freezing of pipe lines and valves and poisoning of expensive catalysts are just a few examples.
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Pile Cloth Media Filtration Removes 97% Of Microplastics From Wastewater12/6/2023
Learn about filtering microplastics from industrial wastewater prior to discharge, and how this is one way to effectively reduce the volume of this waste material from entering our surface water.
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Hemodialysis Patient Health10/29/2021
Controlling dialysate quality is critically important to hemodialysis patient health. Complications as minor as nausea and fatigue or as severe as metabolic acidosis and sepsis can result if dialysate composition is incorrect. All the factors that ultimately affect dialysate composition must therefore be carefully monitored and controlled: proper proportioning and mixing of concentrates with water; the quality of water mixed with concentrates to form dialysate; and the quality of water used in the reprocessing of hemodialyzers, system maintenance and disinfection.
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Determination Of Polar Pesticide Residues In Food Of Plant Origin, By And Automate QuPPe Solution9/29/2014
The QuEChERS (Quick-Easy-Cheap-Effective-Rugged-Safe) sample extraction method was developed for the determination of pesticide residues in agricultural commodities.
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Complete Flow Solutions11/11/2024
Siemens’ extensive portfolio includes various flow measurement technologies, such as Coriolis, clamp-on ultrasonic, vortex, and differential pressure meters, catering to a wide range of industrial needs.
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Irrigation Technology In Agriculture: How New Technologies Overcome Challenges1/29/2019
As the world’s population continues to increase at a fast pace, more food and water will be needed to sustain humanity. In the past 50 years, we have tripled our need for water and food, and there are no signs of this trend slowing down. As a result of these conditions, smart, innovative agricultural practices are needed now more than ever. Technology can, and already does, aid agriculture in innumerable ways. One prominent part of agriculture that can use technological innovation to increase efficiency and effectiveness is irrigation.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
For 80 years, positive displacement, reciprocating metering pumps such as Pulsafeeder’s Pulsa Series have led the industry. These hydraulic diaphragm pumps have been the benchmark for safety, reliability and accuracy. Today, with automatic degassing features like the HypoValve, API-675 compliance, and certified by WQA to “NSF/ANSI/CAN 61” and “NSF/ANSI 372”, the PulsaPro Series is a perfect fit for Water & Wastewater Treatment, Oil & Gas and Industrial applications.
The PHOSPHAX sc Phosphate Analyzer is environmentally controlled for rugged, outdoor installations, provides a wide measurement range for a variety of wastewater and drinking water applications (e.g. in the activated sludge basin, for phosphate elimination and my more), and comes with the fully featured "Plug & Play" digital controller.
The Navigator 500 Hydrazine analyzer provides a continuous measurement of the level of hydrazine in boiler feedwater, enabling the chemical dose to be controlled automatically.
CoriolisMaster FCH400 series of compact Coriolis mass flowmeters feature low pressure drop, high capacity, intuitive ABB common display, five modular I/Os and HART communication. The FCH400 series offers on top EHEDG certified cleanability with polished wetted materials.
The Series 3800 MEGA-COUPLING is a restrained coupling for similar and dissimilar pipe materials.
Water Quality Monitoring Panels offer application specific Hach® sensor and electrode configurations in the convenience of one panel and are pre-engineered, ready to install, simple solutions - that are designed to work together.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![LakeSuperior_Getty-1405284925]( "PFAS Are Turning Up In The Great Lakes, Putting Water Supplies At Risk — Here's How They Get There")
No matter where you live in the U.S., you have likely seen headlines about PFAS being detected in everything from drinking water to fish to milk to human bodies. Now, PFAS are posing a threat to the Great Lakes, one of America’s most vital water resources.
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![tractor_sludge_Getty-2155530305]( "Why Too Much Phosphorus In America's Farmland Is Polluting The Country's Water")
When people think about agricultural pollution, they often picture what is easy to see: fertilizer spreaders crossing fields or muddy runoff after a heavy storm. However, a much more significant threat is quietly and invisibly building in the ground. -
![EnvironmentPeople_004]( "Water In 2026: The Nexus Of Policy, Technology, And Resilience")
As water systems become more circular and complex, understanding and managing the subsurface — the hidden half of the water cycle — is becoming a critical enabler of resilience. This article explores the key trends shaping this new reality, from tackling “forever chemicals” to the water strategies redefining heavy industry. -
![Cutting Red Tape-GettyImages-502421630]( "How The NEPA Rollback Will Impact Water And Wastewater Industries")
The White House has finalized plans to roll back rules under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), narrowing its focus and limiting what the current administration claims are needless delays for federal approval of water, energy, and other infrastructure plans. For water and wastewater utilities, the changes could speed up permitting for critical projects, although experts warn the tradeoffs could do more harm than good. -
![Ultraviolet lamps for water disinfection-GettyImages-1271779123]( "Setting Global Standards: Inside North America's Only Full-Scale UV Disinfection Validation Facility")
Setting Global Standards: Inside North America's Only Full-Scale UV Disinfection Validation FacilityPortland's industry-leading facility reaches 100 reactor validations in 23 years. -
![Water analysis, purification, filtration, treatment, quality monitoring, contamination detection-GettyImages-2234293664]( "Why Haven't Field Tests For Lead In Water Gone Mainstream?")
Given the maturation of sensor technology, the scientific and operational hurdles to portable lead analysis are somewhat surprising — but surmountable.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
The recoating of a potable water tank in Lancaster, PA, included an already tight timeframe and several challenges that cause delays.
In this episode of Ozone Talks, host Sannel Patel takes viewers deep inside Pinnacle Ozone Solutions’ cutting-edge ozone generation technology. Joined by senior engineer Eric Francis and technician Dayton Julius, the discussion centers around the Quad Block ozone cell—a patented, modular system redefining ozone production through innovation, precision, and durability.
ABOUT DRINKING WATER
In most developed countries, drinking water is regulated to ensure that it meets drinking water quality standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers these standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Drinking water considerations can be divided into three core areas of concern:
- Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
- Drinking water treatment of source water
- Distribution of treated drinking water to consumers
Drinking Water Sources
Source water access is imperative to human survival. Sources may include groundwater from aquifers, surface water from rivers and streams and seawater through a desalination process. Direct or indirect water reuse is also growing in popularity in communities with limited access to sources of traditional surface or groundwater.
Source water scarcity is a growing concern as populations grow and move to warmer, less aqueous climates; climatic changes take place and industrial and agricultural processes compete with the public’s need for water. The scarcity of water supply and water conservation are major focuses of the American Water Works Association.
Drinking Water Treatment
Drinking Water Treatment involves the removal of pathogens and other contaminants from source water in order to make it safe for humans to consume. Treatment of public drinking water is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Common examples of contaminants that need to be treated and removed from water before it is considered potable are microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals and radionuclides.
There are a variety of technologies and processes that can be used for contaminant removal and the removal of pathogens to decontaminate or treat water in a drinking water treatment plant before the clean water is pumped into the water distribution system for consumption.
The first stage in treating drinking water is often called pretreatment and involves screens to remove large debris and objects from the water supply. Aeration can also be used in the pretreatment phase. By mixing air and water, unwanted gases and minerals are removed and the water improves in color, taste and odor.
The second stage in the drinking water treatment process involves coagulation and flocculation. A coagulating agent is added to the water which causes suspended particles to stick together into clumps of material called floc. In sedimentation basins, the heavier floc separates from the water supply and sinks to form sludge, allowing the less turbid water to continue through the process.
During the filtration stage, smaller particles not removed by flocculation are removed from the treated water by running the water through a series of filters. Filter media can include sand, granulated carbon or manufactured membranes. Filtration using reverse osmosis membranes is a critical component of removing salt particles where desalination is being used to treat brackish water or seawater into drinking water.
Following filtration, the water is disinfected to kill or disable any microbes or viruses that could make the consumer sick. The most traditional disinfection method for treating drinking water uses chlorine or chloramines. However, new drinking water disinfection methods are constantly coming to market. Two disinfection methods that have been gaining traction use ozone and ultra-violet (UV) light to disinfect the water supply.
Drinking Water Distribution
Drinking water distribution involves the management of flow of the treated water to the consumer. By some estimates, up to 30% of treated water fails to reach the consumer. This water, often called non-revenue water, escapes from the distribution system through leaks in pipelines and joints, and in extreme cases through water main breaks.
A public water authority manages drinking water distribution through a network of pipes, pumps and valves and monitors that flow using flow, level and pressure measurement sensors and equipment.
Water meters and metering systems such as automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows a water utility to assess a consumer’s water use and charge them for the correct amount of water they have consumed.